Recycling becomes a growing concern

Oct 8 2007 by Ben Guy, The Journal

A RECYCLING scheme is being extended to 8,000 extra homes in Northumberland.

Tynedale Council already provides brown wheelie bins to 7,000 households in Hexham, Prudhoe and Wylam, with more than 1,000 tonnes of grass, branches and other plants being collected each year.

And now the council aims to up that rate by rolling the scheme out to areas including Bellingham, Wall, Wark, Acomb and Allendale as well as those living along the A69 corridor.

It follows similar schemes by other councils in the region including Newcastle.

The garden waste scheme is being pushed forward instead of a possible kerbside glass recycling initiative that had been a possibility for Hexham and Prudhoe.

Council leader Michael Walton said: “Through careful research and analysis it was decided that the garden waste collection scheme was more cost effective and would produce higher recycling rates than a kerbside glass collection programme.

“However to ensure that people living within rural areas will be able to recycle their glass waste we are in the process of introducing a series of bottle bank sites.

“We are encouraging parish councils and members of the public to help in this process by suggesting suitable sites within their areas for bottle banks.

“We are delighted that Tynedale residents are so environmentally responsible which is demonstrated by our increase in recycling from 6% in 2003 to hopefully achieving over 30% following the extension of this initiative.”

People living in the areas joining the scheme will receive one of the brown bins, with fortnightly collections starting in April 2008.

The recycled waste is composted at a farm near Hexham and used on local land.

Council figures showed that if the glass recycling scheme was introduced to 10,000 properties the recycling rate in the district would increase by 1.5%, while the extension of the garden waste scheme will increase the rate by 5%.

It comes after taxpayers in the North-East were warned they face fines of up to £83m a year if councils in the region fail to meet Government recycling targets.

Philip Hindmarsh, head of waste and transport management, said: “We all have a responsibility to recycle to help protect the environment.

“Recycling green waste in this way is extremely important.

“Organic waste which is sent to landfill decomposes and releases methane, a powerful global warming gas.”

The new bottle bank sites are at Blackcock Inn car park, Falstone, Greenhead Hotel car park, Slaggyford, A689 layby, Twice Brewed Inn car park and rear of the post office at Whitfield, with plans for another four recycling sites to be announced later this year.

For more information about the scheme and collection dates visit www.tynedale.gov.uk or call the helpline on 01434 652121.